Hydropower bill with Colorado bipartisan love heads to Obama’s desk

WASHINGTON — Two hydropower bills that should expand the production of the clean renewable energy are headed to President Barack Obama’s desk for signature.

The two House bills have Colorado bipartisan fingerprints all over them: One was carried by Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, and another by Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat. Both Democratic Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet were co-sponsors of companion legislation in the Senate.

DeGette’s legislation directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to study streamlining the permitting process for all small hydropower and conduit projects. Tipton’s more narrow legislation streamlines the regulatory process around hydropower development projects on existing Bureau of Reclamation pipes, ditches and canals.

The U.S. Senate approved both measures this week.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office reports that the legislation will bring revenue into the U.S. Treasury at no cost to taxpayers. There are at least 28 Bureau of Reclamation canal sites in Colorado — and 373 nationwide — that could be developed for hydropower purposes, according to the Interior Department.

“Today we launch a new path toward smarter, more efficient hydropower project permitting, and it’s a victory for us all that we are doing so on a bipartisan basis,” said DeGette, in a statement.

Tipton called hydropower critical to in the suplies of clean, renewable energy.

“We still have work to do to achieve true energy self-reliance, but these bills help move the ball down the field,” he said.

Until we can become self sufficient with a steady supply of alternative energy, we need to keep coal fired generating plants running. Where would the country be during heat waves without air conditioning? Presently, solar, wind and hydro won’t meet our enormous energy requirements.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.